by Mary Leo
She figured as much. Milo was even craftier than she gave him credit for.
“How’s that working out for you?”
He shrugged. “I’m still hopeful.”
Then he took the seat across from her, and goose bumps prickled her skin.
She, Milo and Amanda had been seated at the end of a long table that sat twelve. The family of six that had been sitting at the far end had just left.
They were alone in the crowd.
He handed her a napkin, grinning. “You never could feel ice cream on your chin. I remember that from when we were in first grade together.”
She grabbed the napkin, completely embarrassed, and wiped her chin. “You used to tease me for it in front of everybody.”
“Things change. Now I think it’s cute.”
She chuckled. “It’s only because you’re used to messy faces on your boys.”
“Big difference. On you it’s sexy. On them it’s a mess.”
She’d never heard him call her sexy before and she liked it. “Why, Colt Granger, are you flirting with me?” She batted her eyes.
His face went pink as a wide smile creased his lips as he leaned in closer, his elbows on the table, chin resting on one hand. “I believe I am, yes.”
“I like it.”
“Me, too.”
Then they both started talking at the same time.
“I need to...” she said.
“I decided that...” he said.
They laughed. It seemed as though they’d been so uptight with each other ever since she’d come home, that laughing was something they’d forgotten how to do.
“Ladies first,” he insisted, tipping his new hat to her, sliding back in his chair.
But she didn’t want that gentleman’s option. “Thanks, but I’d like you to go first this time. Please.”
He took a deep breath, and began. “Okay. Here’s what I’m thinking. I think it’s important for you to know that I’m here if you need me. You don’t have to tell me anything about the child’s daddy, or why you’re not with him, or even if you’re going to raise the baby yourself or let somebody else raise it as their own. Whatever you decide is your business, but I’m here to give you all the help you need.”
She knew it was difficult for Colt to tell her these things and she appreciated his honesty. “Thanks. That’s really generous of you, Colt.”
He reached over and laid his hand on top of hers. She instantly felt warm and safe. As if all she needed was his reassurance that everything was going to be all right and she could face whatever came her way.
“Just tell me what you need, and I’ll make it happen.”
“Anything?”
He blew out a sigh, looking all serious, as if he was ready to pull down the moon if she asked. “Yes, anything.”
She picked up her empty glass and handed it to him. “More, please. Another root beer float.”
“This isn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
“It’s a good start.”
He grinned and his eyes glistened with that same sly little sparkle they’d had right before they’d jumped into bed together. Immediately a spark shot through her and if they weren’t in a public place with kids and people everywhere, it would have been difficult for her not to want a repeat performance.
Fortunately, the laughter and noise combined with the music in the restaurant suddenly escalated and reality came rushing back at her.
“I’ll be right back,” he told her then made his way to the soda bar, where she could see him ordering her another one.
While she watched him, she scolded herself for even thinking such thoughts. He wasn’t the guy for her and never would be. Sure he was cute, and sure she liked him, and okay, he was a great lover, but she wasn’t now nor had she ever been in love with him, even if his eyes did sparkle when he laughed.
When he turned back to her holding an overflowing mug of soda and ice cream, several napkins, and trying desperately not to let it drip all over the floor and him, all the while smiling at her, she felt her face flush with heat.
She figured it had to be a hot flash of some sort because of the baby.
Nothing more.
She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, trying to restore her sanity, her reason. But the man had a charisma that got under her skin. And watching him walk toward her, smiling, carrying over her favorite treat, only made it worse.
She forced herself to look away for a moment and regain her composure.
When he finally arrived at the table, and plunked the mug down on a bundle of napkins in front of her, the words simply poured out of her. “Colt, there’s more to this baby than you think.”
She ran her hands over her belly, and cupped the underside. Her baby moved inside her.
“He just kicked. Do you want to feel him?”
The noise level in the place suddenly rose.
“You know it’s a boy?” Colt was almost yelling now.
“Here, put your hand here.” He reached for the spot, and she placed her hand on top of his. As soon as she did, a warm, silky feeling ran through her.
She pulled her hand away just as her baby gave her another strong kick.
“He sure feels sturdy.”
Then, as if someone turned a switch, Colt pulled his hand away and stuck it into his jean pocket. He instantly sat down, and gazed out at the crowd, clearing his throat.
Odd behavior from a man with three children of his own. Almost as if he was uncomfortable with the situation.
Helen didn’t know what to make of it, but she pressed on with what she knew she had to say. “I don’t know for sure if it’s a boy, but I have a strong feeling a girl isn’t in your gene pool. Colt, this baby is yours.”
He leaned in, cupping his right ear. The noise level had dramatically increased. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that. What did you say about my sons?”
“I said, I’m carrying your son.” She was shouting now.
Colt shook his head. “This is crazy. I can’t hear you at all anymore.”
A siren echoed off in the distance as Joey came running up to their table. “Papa! Papa! Come quick. Gavin and another kid are caught in the stuffed animal machine.”
Colt stood. “What? Gavin? No. I warned you boys...”
Joey grabbed his hand and pulled. “You gotta get them out before the kid eats all the stuffed animals. He’s got two in his mouth right now. Hurry, Papa!”
The sirens stopped just as two firemen carrying axes rushed into the restaurant. The taller of the two nodded toward Colt. “Don’t worry. We’ll get your boy free.”
“Excuse me, Helen, but...” Colt and Joey followed right behind the firemen, while Helen remained frozen at the table.
As everyone in the restaurant rushed toward the stuffed animal machine, Helen burst into great big, uncontrollable sobs.
It finally hit her: this was her new life. From now on, she was doomed to being friends with the men and women of the local fire department, destined to having her child caught in claw machines and generally wreaking havoc along with his brothers everywhere they went.
She knew her pregnancy caused her to cry for almost any reason, good or bad, but lately simply being around Colt’s family brought on the waterworks. She supposed it was worry that her sweet unborn child was fated to be a hell-raiser exactly like the rest of Colt’s boys and she had no idea how she would handle it.
That thought nearly paralyzed her. She never wanted one child, let alone be connected to three more. All she ever desired since she was a teen was to win the national cowboy mounted shooting championship. Then, if she worked really hard, to go on to win the world championship. She didn’t think she would ever be able to settle down and even if she couldn’t compete anymore she planned o
n opening her own riding school. Some of her best memories were from M & M Riding School and she’d like to make that happen for her own students, someday.
She always saw herself as her own person, making her own decisions. How on earth would she ever learn to handle anything less? It wasn’t as if she could depend on Colt to take care of their baby while she was on the road. All he ever did was work on the Granger ranch. She knew this to be true from the few years she’d been living in Briggs. He was hardly ever home, occasionally disciplined his boys and barely took the time to show them the elements of right and wrong. Dodge was more of a father to them than Colt, or at least that was the impression she always had. Ever since his wife passed, those boys of his ran wild. Everybody knew it, and everybody tried to stay out of their way.
Including her.
She cried harder as another team of firemen ran past her and she realized that getting Colt alone long enough for a private conversation was next to impossible, and that the chance of them ever making love again, even if she wanted to, was about as probable as her carrying a baby girl.
* * *
BRIGHT AND EARLY on Monday morning, Colt drove his pickup slowly by the buildings that made up the M & M Riding School, liking what he saw. Dodge had asked him to check it out when he heard it was on the market. Colt had been dragging his feet about taking a look, but Dodge thought it would be perfect. Colt thought it would take too much work.
There were some things he and his dad simply could not agree on.
Fortunately, so far, Colt had to admit, Dodge might be right on this one.
He parked in the small lot, got out and walked toward the main house under a warm sun as the soft breezes coming off the mountains slid across his face. He secured his hat on his head, in case one of those breezes got a little rough. Yes, this piece of land would initially cost a bit more. They’d have to tear down most of the buildings, but the land already had water, natural gas, electricity and septic, and wasn’t far from the main road. The money they’d save on those four essentials alone would save the consortium a bundle in the long run. The other parcels were still raw and needed to be developed. The time and cost could be staggering, whereas this parcel looked about as perfect as red paint on a barn.
He wished Travis had come with him to see this, but he’d been busy in town at Dream Weaver Inn repairing a porch. Travis spent a lot of time at the Inn helping out the owner, Nick Biondi, whenever he could. Nick was like a second dad to Travis, so doing carpentry work around the Inn was something Travis enjoyed. Besides, Travis had always had a soft spot for Nick’s estranged daughter, Bella, the one girl Travis might actually settle down for. However, she lived and worked in Chicago, and the chances of her ever returning to Briggs were next to nil.
Colt would have to decide on which property and write up the proposal on his own this time. At least he knew Dodge would be happy, but as far as the two other families in the consortium, he’d have to give them some hard numbers.
He planned on spending the rest of the day doing the research on the cost comparison. Two of his boys were in school at the moment, while Joey spent the day with Dodge. So far this year Buddy and Gavin had managed to keep out of trouble with their teachers. But after last night’s fiasco at the pizza parlor, Colt was losing his confidence in his ability to raise them alone. His brothers were right. They needed a mom to help discipline them. He had a hard time in that department. Buddy still woke up in the middle of the night calling his mom’s name. Granted, it wasn’t very often anymore, but it still happened. Gavin was a loose cannon most of the time, and Joey acted as if somebody stole his rudder.
It was a good thing no one had gotten hurt the previous night. As it turned out, the two firemen were able to dismantle the back of the machine and release the toddler and Gavin within minutes.
The toddler’s parents, both high school classmates of Colt’s, had scooped up their daughter and given Colt a look that told him they were trying to keep the lid on their can of cuss words. Just as well, ’cause Colt never did take a liking to either one of them and may have said something that he might be regretting this morning.
The riding school was all but abandoned now. There were a few people over by the stables, probably tending to their horses until they could move them, and a rented moving truck sat in front of the main house.
As he walked by the barn, thinking he might keep the big old red barn for storage, a sniffling sound stopped him in his tracks. At first he couldn’t make it out. Then as he came closer, he knew it was the distinctive sound of a woman crying.
He hustled around the side of the barn, then to the front entrance, and there, perched on a bale of hay, sat Helen, head resting on her knees, face buried in her arms, crying her eyes out. Tater was tied to the old ornate iron post just outside the barn door that had held countless horses before him.
Colt approached steady and easylike, not wanting to scare either one of them. Tater blew out air and whinnied at his approach, which caused Helen to look up.
“Hey,” Colt cooed, soft and steadylike. “Whatever it is that’s causing you so much heartache, I’m here to help.”
He sat down next to her on the hay, handed her the clean white handkerchief that he always kept in his shirt pocket, then rubbed her back. Her floral perfume wafted around him and he moved in closer. She smelled like spring, like everything brand-new, like clean sheets... Or was that just wishful thinking?
When she looked up at him, her eyes puffy from weeping, her cheeks wet with tears, he wanted nothing more than to fix whatever it was that had made her so upset.
She hiccuped, drew in a ragged breath, wiped her eyes and squeezed her wet nose with his handkerchief.
“Oh, Colt, this place is so sad. Everybody’s gone. The school is almost abandoned and I feel as if I lost my best friend. I loved it here, loved my teachers, loved the friends I made, loved the Miltons. They already moved to town. Did you know that? The only people still working here are the caretakers, and they leave the end of the month. I don’t know what I expected, but I didn’t expect to see the place so...abandoned. I mean I knew they were retiring, but I didn’t think it was happening so fast. At least not like this.”
She blew her nose and rested her head on his shoulder. He liked being able to comfort her. Helen wasn’t the kind of woman who needed much comforting, so this felt good. Made him feel as if he was making a difference.
“Sweetheart, the school itself has been closed for almost a year.”
“It has?”
He nodded and she sobbed into his handkerchief. “How did I not know this? I was just here a few months ago when I left Tater with them, and no one said a word to me about the school closing. I always hear about if someone in town gets a new puppy, or has a new girlfriend or boyfriend, but nobody told me that the school closed?” She looked at him, sniffling. “Did one of the Miltons get sick or something?”
He slid a thick strand of her silky red hair off her wet cheek and for a moment was taken by how beautiful she looked, despite her puffy eyes or her tear-soaked face.
So he kissed her. Just a light kiss to tell her he was on her side. She returned the kiss, just as sweet and tender as he remembered. Her full lips pressing against his felt warm and inviting, but he knew this couldn’t go any further. When they parted and he looked into her sweet, wet eyes, he realized his feelings for her weren’t going away anytime soon, despite what reason told him.
She moved back and he immediately stood, upset that he’d allowed the moment to get the best of him. “I, um, I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
“It’s okay, Colt. I enjoyed it.” She smiled and Colt felt as if they had a connection. That is until she ran her hand over her baby bump. The father of her baby had a connection to her that could never be broken. Colt knew he was only a good friend, and under the circumstances could never be anything more.
&
nbsp; He cleared his tight throat. He went on. “Anyway, the school had fallen on some rough times during the downturn in the economy, so the Miltons decided it was time to let it go. Then last month, they put a down payment on a sweet little bungalow in town and put this place up for sale.”
She sat up straighter. “But I thought Mrs. Milton loved this place. Loved the kids and the school.”
“She did, but things change. I think it was time to move on, time for a different path for their lives.”
Helen stood and walked outside. Colt followed right behind her as she moved up alongside Tater and stroked his head. The horse nuzzled her, letting out a breath, then shifting his front feet.
“I always thought I would eventually run a riding school of my own once I retired from competing. One exactly like this one, but over in Jackson near my family. This place was always the only school around so my dad had to drive me back and forth two or three times a week every summer. In the winter, I’d practice in Jackson. Only in the last couple of years did Jackson get an arena to compare with this one. This arena is still better. I hope someone buys this place and continues on with the school.”
He didn’t have the nerve to tell her what he wanted to do with the property. With her fragile state of mind, he knew she’d hate him for even thinking of tearing her beloved school down. Instead, he thought he should try a different angle.
“That’ll be tough. Even though Briggs is getting back on its feet after the downturn in the economy, finding someone to buy this place and keep it as is will be somewhat of a miracle. I’m thinking the Miltons want a strong buyer, and what that buyer does with the place is up to the new owners. The best thing that can happen to the Miltons is for them to make a nice profit from the sale so they can afford a comfortable retirement without any financial worries.”
She turned toward him looking all melancholy. “You’re right. They’ve worked hard all their lives and deserve a break, but still, it would be nice if this place could stay as is. Of course it could use a few repairs. I always thought the main house needed a couple more rooms, and the arena should be enclosed so it could be used all year long. If I was finished competing, and if I had the money, I’d consider buying it. But I’m not ready to settle down yet. I’ve got a championship or two that I need to win. It’s what I’ve worked my whole life for.”